Flying on Ice
by anaime7
Summary: When Kuchiki Rukia, Ice Princess extrodinaire found herself looking at her new skate partner's orange hair, she wondered briefly, just briefly, whether to rip her own raven hair out. Chap 5: However frustrating he may be, he's still a harbour of comfort.
1. Prologue

_This is a new story's prologue -AU- I have been working on, and will continue to work on this week (it's spring break in my country right now =D). I have another AU ('bout gladiators... uhuh) that I'm wondering if I should post here also, just to motivate myself to work on it... what say you?_

_Disclaimer: I own none of the fascinating characters Tite Kubo had created, nor the wonderful songs Sounds of Music produced. (Wow, I made it out of one disclaimer without crying, finally!)_

*****

**Flying on Ice**

**_By: anaime_**

**Prologue**

Chibi Rukia lifted her eyes to her window and gasped. White, furling dots were dancing outside, beyond the miles that she can see in Byakuya's vacation house. It was the first snow of the season.

The gentle snowflakes fluttered, lifted by the wind, swerving outside her window, only to land and gather at the foot of her own planted tree.

True beauty.

A happy grin–-one that was so unfamiliar- broke over Rukia's face. Then she laughed. She hasn't laughed for days. The snow made her happy, happier in all the years that she had come to know –to love the cold and ice and speeding glide and pounding adrenaline.

She dressed quickly, the first snow was the most delicious to feel and taste and just be simply surrounded in. Her beloved chappy bunny gloves were once again in their rightful place, having been neglected for so long.

"Nii-sama," Rukia called to the empty house, "I'll be going out…!"

As Rukia raced out of the gigantic cottage her subconscious screamed in delight. The first snow meant for Rukia the end of her vacation -repercussion time, was what it really was- and back to Japan.

And back to her first love, ice skating.

*****

After sitting on a plane for ten hours with no sleep at all, Kuchiki Rukia, 16, was frighteningly glaring like her brother when he was irritated. No longer the midget–well, still midget, she was only 145 cm- that used to squeal happily when she sees snow –well, she still does- now she has lived up to her nickname, ice princess, named after a movie that she had not loved, but liked very much.

As the plane landed and the passengers boarded off, Rukia wondered why the _hell_ she had _not _begged to ride on Byakuya's private jet, with its comfortable first-rate seats and custom made ice tea with huge ice cubes shaped like Chappy the Bunny that she loved to crunch between her teeth. Shaking her head sadly, Rukia pressed the replay button on her iPhone (Rukia was crying and screaming when Byakuya gave her this for her birthday, Byakuya's mouth corners had lifted up, however minimally, and then told her to act like a common Kuchiki), and _My Favourite Things_ (yes, from the _Sound of Music_) drifted and soothed her sleep –or rather, the lack thereof- induced brain.

Rukia made her way out of the airport, eyes lidded and humming _girl in white dresses with blue satin sashes, snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes, silver white winters that mel- _

"Oof!" A un-lady like grunt escaped her on her favourite lines, and she was crashing, and –ouch, her butt- one of earphones fell out of her ears, and the noise of the airport droned on her, causing a migraine.

She glared upwards and saw orange.

"Oi!" Apparently, the guy that she knocked down –no, what was she thinking, _clearly_, the guy who _knocked_ her _down_- was glaring as though it was her fault he was knocked down at her through slanted, amber eyes.

Rukia took one distasteful look at the guy's wildly orange hair and ugly scowl and scoffed internally. This guy was worth no word of hers. Using years of Kuchiki training, she rearranged her face into a tragic blank after one last, condescending look at the disgusting person who probably rubbed his germs off on her favourite chappy T-shirt, stuffed her earphones back, and walked away.

"Hey! Hey!" The guy yelled at her, completely bewildered and looked like he would not get his ass off the airplane floor soon.

*****

Rukia was gliding. In her mind, she was like a weightless bird, soaring through the sky to greet the summit of the mountain. In reality, it was not far from that.

The ice had always been her friend. Snow, ice, what does it matter. They were both cold and completely delightful to the touch. She had witnessed her first snow when she was a baby, and her sister had told her she jumped and giggled and laughed. And she was on the ice a year after that, slipping, falling but quickly gliding across the snow, with bubbles of laughter erupting from her.

Rukia inhaled. Silent, pacifying music was thudding through her ears and the entire skating rink. She skidded gracefully into a stop. Break time.

A thin sheen of sweat covered Rukia's face as she gulped down her water, she was wearing her sweats for the warm up, which consisted of 20 laps in five minutes around the rink. Yoruichi, her trainer, sat down beside her languidly.

"Princess!" She began, "It may not be the right time to say this, but I figured you have been nurtured enough" A pause followed, but only just, "But it's time for you to get a new partner."

Rukia sucked in a lungful of air and let the air escape her. She had been expecting the line for some time now.

"I have found the perfect one for you, he is being trained by an old accomplice of mine, he has the perfect build, and is an excellent skater."

Rukia nodded. Yoruichi's description of the perfect skater fell on deaf ears. Rukia's entire mine was a complete vacant lavatory.

"Listen, Rukia, I know it must be hard, but trust me, this will work out. You might want desperately to go back to skating solo, but talent like yours-" Yoruichi picked up a lock of Rukia's hair, "are not to be wasted. You are perfect for pair skating, and as long as I'm your trainer, you will grow to your maximum potential. I want the best for you."

Rukia nodded, again, and took another chug of water. She didn't want to give pair skating up, either; being thrown through the air brings so much more exhilaration and adrenaline than a double axle.

"So what do you say?"

Another nod.

"Excellent, princess, you'll meet your partner tomorrow at seven, here. We're all going out to coffee to acquaint each other, then we're back at nine and we're gonna see how you two jazz up."

Feeling slightly numb, Rukia only nodded then departed again for the ice rink. The speed will make it better. The cold wind rushing by her ears will make her feel better. If only she could believe herself.

*****

Shock.

Electrifying shock.

Through hazy mist and dusty conscious Rukia found herself facing a familiar face, one she shouldn't even remember. Dark, rich amber stared at her with a determined face. Brilliantly (one colour that was certain through this mist) orange hair was flashing in time to Rukia's beating heart.

She felt rather than heard something say -like a broken recorder-…

"Rukia… This is …your new partner, Ichigo… Kurosaki…"

Rukia woke up screaming.

Thank goodness that was a dream.

*****

_Review if you like, review if you love, review if you hate... Just review...!_

_Writers do need reviewers in order to egg them on, and I only posted this fic on this site to draw encouragement and critism so I can write... REVIEW...! And yes, I beg, deal with it. Man, after typing that many reviews, I don't even know if I spelled it right... _

_-anaime, chocolate ice cream with whip cream served if you click the button to the left... haha_


	2. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: Oh, never mine, you suspected innocent ol' me for claiming work that is not my own? Ohoho, you suspected wrongly!_

*****

**Flying on Ice**

**_By: anaime_**

**Chapter one - The Meeting**

****

*****

The next morning came bright and hopeful, with sunbeams raining down through Ichigo's window.

He mentally gagged when he woke up.

Him, pair -couple- skating? He had always done better at singles. But no, Urahara had the very decency to tell him yesterday that he was doing couple skating and was meeting his partner today. Why did he have to have him as a crazy old trainer who had done nothing to help improve his skating abilities?

Ichigo dressed swiftly, now with his 18th birthday behind him, he had gotten his own small flat to live in. Sometimes his old buffoon of a father comes early at 5 a.m. to kick Ichigo's face, but it was a nice replacement from seeing his father's ass coming at him every day. Pulling his hood over his head and doing all his morning rituals, Ichigo was finally out the door with his running shoes on. In less than a minute, he was jogging with his skating gears through the street to the ice rink, 13 blocks away. It was six o'clock, and he would get there and practice before meeting his partner.

Ichigo could always refuse to skate with the partner… but he couldn't stand a girl's tears, if this girl cried, he would probably kick himself.

It was still very sunny outside when he went inside the skating rink.

*****

Crap. Rukia was running so late. She was never the morning person, though skate practices were always in the mornings.

She glanced back down at her watch on her nightstand, not chappy styled, sadly, but still bunny encrusted. It was 6:45, and Rukia wasn't even dressed.

*****

Unlike their first meeting in the airport, Rukia was looking up, unlike their first meeting in the airport, Rukia wished she hadn't.

Just like in her fateful dream, Ichigo's hair shining brilliantly sunny, the contrast was next to none and Rukia was momentarily shocked.

"Y-You!"

Kurosaki Ichigo's –no, his, Rukia refused to acknowledge she had any otherworldly dream about him- state of being was so comical that if the situation wasn't so severe, Rukia would have burst out laughing. His legs were bent, his mouth was open, merely hanging there, and his hand was shaking while his index finger was directed at Rukia's nose.

"It's rude to point, you know," for the second time in a week, Rukia thanked the heavens for her upbringing as a Kuchiki, her voice was composed with the slightest edge of malice in it.

He immediately dropped his hand, but now his scowl was more pronounced than ever. His demeanour changed suddenly, now he wasn't shocked, he was, what was the word… Rukia ploughed through her mind, yes, fierce.

"Apologize."

Rukia backtracked, wait, what? "Pardon?"

"Apologize for what you did at the airport!"

Now Rukia was really backtracking… "What?!" She shrieked, all her composure lost, Nii-sama would have been so abashed. "You were the one that knocked me down!"

"Excuse _me_, but who was the one that was not looking at where she was going and engrossed in her music?!" Oh, and now he was angry, his scowl became even more pronounced. Like he wasn't ugly enough, Rukia though inwardly.

"Please, like I can knock you over! You're like, a head and a half taller than me! If anyone should apologize, it's you!"

"I wasn't the one who wasn't looking up!"

"Well, according to you, if you were looking, how come we _still_ collided?"

"Well, you're so short that no one can notice you! Besides, it would have made common sense if someone as short as you, being as close to the floor as you are, need not to look down, but up!"

At this point, Rukia was seeing red, no one had ever insulted her height before, she had a prefectly normal vertical vestige, thank you very much!

"You're the most insane, impossible person I ever met, Kurosaki Ichigo!"

Ichigo's reply was cut off in half as his eyes widened, and Rukia immediately clapped her hands to her mouth.

_Oh dear higher deity, did I just call him by his name?_

_How the hell does she know my name?_

_What do I do? What do I do? What do I DO?_

Now, if Rukia was in her right mind, she would instantly make up an excuse that Yoruichi told her his name, but since she was already frizzled, she did the only thing that her insensible brain told her to do.

Rukia clenched her hand in a fist, and mustering all her strength, punched Ichigo right on his solar plexus.

On a balcony looking down below, Urahara and Yoruichi were silently laughing their insane heads off, and agreeing to themselves that their two pupils were a match made in hell.

*****

Half an hour later, Ichigo and Rukia were sitting across from a table in a homey little café that Urahara calls home. Ichigo was glaring, and Rukia was doing a fair share of glaring back.

"So, midget," Ichigo grunted between clenched teeth, "how did you know my name?"

Now that Rukia had time to think rationally, she hissed through equally clenched teeth, "Why, Yoruichi told me, of course, why else, you dumb strawberry?"

At the other end of the café, Yoruichi sneezed into the steamed milk Urahara had just handed to her.

"Oh, and I deserved a beating for that reason?"

Rukia laughed airily, "Why, of course not, dearest Ichigo, that punch could equal to a beating on your behalf? My, oh my, it looks like my deduction is correct, you really are a big baby!"

Rukia swore she heard a cracking sound issuing from Ichigo's mouth. Rukia sipped a gulp of iced mocha, ah sweet caffeinated victory. While Rukia was enjoying her 1 to 0 advantage, Yoruichi came out of the backroom with a tissue, and Urahara was slinking behind in her shadows, smirking.

"Having a nice time, Princess?"

Rukia gave a curt nod, and reality cut through her bubble of happy smugness, and Rukia mentally scowled. Skate partners, are they? They should be better off biting each other.

"Well, Kisuke and I, as excellent trainers as we are," Yoruichi stopped slightly after seeing the murderous looks on Rukia and Ichigo's faces, "so we've decided to give you a little skate history on each other."

She gave a swift nod to Ichigo, and to Rukia's surprise, Ichigo nodded back.

"You guys know each other?" Curiosity was what killed the cat, after all.

Yoruichi laughed slyly, but didn't reply.

"Well, Ichigo, this is your new skate partner, Kuchiki Rukia, she's currently 16. She's skated since she was three. She's been to the Junior Japanese Figure Skating Championships for singles and pair. She won a gold medal for singles, and gold at pairs. In the Junior World Championships, she entered for pairs, and she got bronze. Rukia's won at many competitions starting when she was 9. And, well, her love is Chappy the Bunny," Rukia smiled happily, and Ichigo stared at her, spooked.

"And Rukia,this is Kurosaki Ichigo. He's just turned 18, and is working part-time in his father's clinic and planning on taking courses in medics. Ichigo here has been at the Nationals when he was 15, and he could have gotten gold, but due to some circumstances… he wasn't able to," Rukia's interest was now spiked at the flash of remorse in Ichigo's eyes, "And he started skating at a young age, but stopped after 15. He's taken skating again last year, and he's excellent."

A momentary pause followed.

"Now I'm going to ask you guys two very important questions. Do you want to compete in the world championships coming up?"

Two heads nod.

"And do you want to _win?_"

For some reason, Violet eyes meet amber and both see mirroring determination in the other's face. At this point, they were letting the other know that they intend to win. Some magnetic force keeps their eyes locked until they both nod at the same time.

"Good. There's a Practise every morning in the ice rink at 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. on weekdays until summer ends, then, practice would be reduced to 8 a.m. because I understand you two have school. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, starting at 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. you are also to meet in the ice rink. When school starts, we start at 4 p.m. Weekends are free except when a tournament comes up. Either Kisuke, me, or both of us will meet you there. Got it?"

Slightly overwhelmed and frightened 'yes' follows. Ichigo stopped himself before he could say ma'am.

"Awesome." Yoruichi flashes her trademark grin, and starts talking again, "now, since this is a Friday, I will see you two at 2 p.m. today, today's morning practice will be cancelled. Have a nice morning!"

With that, Yoruichi departed the table, and they were dismissed. Rukia stood up, intending on finishing her drink outside. She looks at Ichigo and Ichigo looks at her just as his eyes turn gold in the rising sunlight that just cut through the clouds above in the cerulean sky. For some reason, his look was calculating.

"I expect you to not ruin my chance of winning, Kuchiki Rukia."

A surprised grin surfaced on Rukia's face, "nor I, Kurosaki Ichigo. Nor I."

*****

_Another installment, enjoy and review, if you please. Man, lots of you are lurkers in this place.... favouriting/alerting (it is a word in my vocabulary!) my story without even reviewing... tsk, tsk. You should be ashamed of yourselves. (Jk, though it might be nice if you reviewed... puppy dog eyes... told you I could beg!)_

_I'm planning on keeping each chapter short, but spurting them at a fast pace... Would you people rather have longer chapters with long updates? (Of May 23, 2009: I have combined the old chapter one and two together, so it's just one chapter now...)_


	3. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: Don' own... except for that extremely nice outfit that Rukia is going to wear for the upcoming skate competition that will have Ichigo's jaws on the floor... Haha._

*****

**Flying On Ice**

**By: anaime**

**Chapter Three: In Progress**

*****

For the rest of the morning Rukia obliged to her duty as a Kuchiki by having brunch with a bunch of relatives that insisted themselves on coming to Byakuya's manor.

So Rukia had to sit next to people with equally bland and disdainful faces as they looked at her well over the next two hours.

Three words: It. Was. Horrid.

After that, Byakuya had a 'little' talk with her that lasted more than half an hour about the precautions of pair skating and precautions of skating and precautions of her new skate partner and precautions of Yoruichi.

By the end of that, Rukia had to hurry and collect her skate necessities and dashed out the door. She arrived at the skating rink, just on time to put on her skates and politely greet Urahara and throw a condescending look at Ichigo.

This was going to be the _greatest_ day of Rukia's short sixteen year old life.

*****

They were doing amazing, Urahara reflected as he watched the two skaters behind hooded eyes. This was there first time skating with each other, and they fit like black and white, night and day.

Okay, so at first they were a little awkward when Urahara had asked them to do a pair camel spin. Rukia's eyes had widened horrifically and Ichigo had glanced at Rukia and exclaimed "No way. No freaking way in hell!"

But they had done it. But only after Rukia kicked Ichigo in the shins.

She kicked him with her ice skates.

After several howls of pain (from Ichigo), they had managed it. A perfect camel spin. Their differences in height didn't look awkward at all. When they finished, Ichigo was cringing and Rukia had her face perfectly composed.

What Urahara had expected, after all.

And Ichigo eventually got better at controlling his facial expressions after six more camel spins.

Urahara chuckled. He had made them do every single awkward and closely intimate trick in the book. His mission, after all, was to make the two comfortable around each other. But really, all you had to do was have Rukia smack Ichigo on the side of his head, and voilá, perfection is born!

*****

Rukia got home at 6:45 that day, vowed to shower a hundred times after dinner. If there wasn't dinner with Nii-sama, Rukia would have sped to her bathroom, washed for two hours, and then told various maids to clean the tub. But, alas, fate is so cruel. There was dinner, so Rukia had only to content herself by washing her hands.

22 times.

*****

When Rukia was pampered and already suffering from improper hygiene at the dinner table, Ichigo was already in his own tub, vigorously scrubbing himself clean, he freaking smelled like that bitch! He'd missed Yuzu's dinner invitation.

His legs were screaming in protest from the long four hour practice of jumping, pushing, twirling, and spinning. He often watched the midget from the corner of his eyes to see if she was cringing in pain, disgust, or whatever. She wasn't. Not seeing her suffer from the long practice, Urahara, or Ichigo's presence had pissed Ichigo off entirely. The girl was not human.

*****

At next morning's practice, Yoruichi was there on the ice rink, staring with calculating eyes at the two skaters that entered at the same time from opposite doors. Both greeted her at the same time with the same greeting.

Glaring contest ensued.

*****

Rukia stared, dejected, at her supposed great skate partner. They had tried to do an axel throw today. Apparently, Ichigo hadn't thrown her at the _exact_ height and she fell on the ice, not able to land on her skates. Rukia was nursing her almost broken ankle with an ice pack. She was letting her mind flow, cursing the orange strawberry with every dirty word in her vocabulary. Three days into this so called partnership, and Rukia was walking on a tight string. She was so tense, and Byakuya even commented on her sudden infatuation with bathing.

Currently, Yoruichi was brandishing something that looked like a knife at Ichigo, who was skating as fast as medal winning speed skaters. Rukia couldn't blame him, Yoruichi was yelling bloody murder. But apparently the once medal winning figure skater could skate faster than medal winning speed skaters.

Yes, Yoruichi realizes this little accident will cause them a week's delay in practice.

*****

The next day, Rukia decided to limp across to the ice rink, just to taunt Ichigo with sitting there reading a book at afternoon practice. She planned to throw in a comment or two about the late sleep she had this morning. He had to do extra practice with Yoruichi to improve his throwing skills.

Rukia almost laughed out loud when she got to the rink.

Ichigo was there, along with Yoruichi and was throwing the ugliest mannequin possible. A fling from his arms….

Weeeeeeee………

Ms. Mannequin hit the ice with the most sickening crunch and landed on its head.

"Hey," Rukia was at the entrance of the skate rink, and obvious humour danced on her face. Ichigo looked at Rukia and scowls, but Rukia missed the slight blush staining his tanned cheekbones.

Yoruichi looked about ready to tear her hair in agony when Rukia looked at her. "Rukia, look at this idiot! We've been practising the whole day, but whenever he makes a throw, the mannequin does not touch the ice with its feet!"

Then she went over and picked up the poor mannequin, and Rukia watched with interest at its numerous bruises. "Here, Princess, watch this!"

Yoruichi grabbed the waist of the mannequin, started skating, and flung the mannequin upwards. It made a perfect 360 in the air and landed on its feet before cluttering unto the ice.

"But Ichigo can't do it! He can't! He just _can't_!"

Ichigo looked over at Rukia, saw her expression of deep amusement, and, (if possible) scowled even harder. Rukia laughed, climbed to the bleachers, and sat down, perfectly content on loosing herself in the time of 16th century England.

Almost fifteen minutes of the sound of wood hitting ice in the background, Rukia heard and knew Yoruichi was massaging the bridge of her nose with her fingers, "Break, Ichigo. I need to figure out how to make you learn this in a week!"

A few minutes later, Rukia felt someone sit beside her, it was far too heavy to be Yoruichi. Tensing immediately, Rukia tried to go back to her novel. What was Juliet doing?

"Hey." His tone was soft. It suited him, somehow, it was the first time Rukia heard this deep, low, rich sound. Maybe it was the silent, vast oval rink that they were in, but Rukia found herself drowning in Ichigo's voice.

"What?" A curt and direct tone. Rukia congratulated herself, she was surfacing from the drowning Ichigo's voice had caused.

"I just wanted to…" Ichigo paused a fraction of a second, and looked at Rukia's face, "to apologize. Sorry. I didn't mean to let you fall yesterday."

Now shocked, Rukia lifted her head from her book and stared into Ichigo's eyes, they were a liquid gold, casted by the luminescent light above. He was completely sincere, but his tone already told Rukia that.

Whoa. Kurosaki Ichigo could be arrogant, conceited, cocky, and determined to the point of death by annoyance, but was he… actually nice?

"Th- that's fine. It didn't hurt that much. I've gotten into worse injuries before," Rukia cursed herself for stuttering, what, guys can't be nice?

"Yeah, um," The air between them was awkward, Ichigo looked for something, anything, that would distract himself from Rukia's wide, swimming violet eyes, "uh, hey, isn't that Romeo and Juliet?"

Glad that Ichigo had found a topic starter, Rukia joined in immediately. Awkward just didn't work with her. "Uh, yeah. I read it when two years ago when I was on vacation in London. My brother bought it for me."

"Really, can I see?"

Rukia nodded and handed her special edition book to Ichigo. He started flipping the pages and settled in his seat. Ichigo started _reading_ Rukia's book, Romeo and Juliet, the ultimate romance angst story. Rukia was so shocked that she didn't say anything for a minute.

"Kurosaki…" Ichigo didn't even blink, he was now so absorbed about the sweet nothings Romeo was proclaiming to Juliet that Rukia started to think he was doing this to annoy her, "Kurosaki!"

Still nothing. Sighing, Rukia reached over and flicked Ichigo's forehead. That got his attention. "What_?!_"

"You're reading Romeo and Juliet."

"So?"

"I thought only girls read it."

"Well then, you're wrong. Shakespeare is my favourite. I've read this," Ichigo pointed to Rukia's book, "at least 100 times when I was fifteen."

Judging by Rukia's look of amazement, she hadn't even read the book ten times.

"What, midget, didn't think I can read?"

Sputtering, Rukia said, "B-but, Shakespeare! You like Shakespeare and his sonnets? Are you a girl in disguise in an ugly male body or something?!"

A vein was ticking on Ichigo's left forehead. "Never mind. You obviously don't get it. Shakespeare is phenomenal!"

Rukia had temporarily gone in shock.

Sighing slightly, Ichigo picked up the book again. Apparently, he was talkative about Shakespeare. "Romeo and Juliet was probably the most heart wrenching work Shakespeare made. Macbeth is alright, but it doesn't have lovers killing themselves for each other, so it's not as dramatic. I haven't read Macbeth in a while. Maybe I should go home and go that today." Ichigo stood up and stretched, "nice book, Kuchiki. They only produce 50,000 of these special edition books. Maybe I can trade you?" With a slight smirk, Ichigo departed, leaving Rukia more confused than before.

There was definitely more to Kurosaki Ichigo than an awfully devilish smirk and good taste in books.

*****

_And there you have it! Their relationship... in progress. School's killing me, and I'm only two weeks into term three. Term three determines my vacation._

_Reviews would be excellent, **please**... -shining puppy dog eyes- they really do mean a lot to me, and they do motivate me to write! -flashes puppy eyes again-_

_Haha, have a nice fanfiction/chocolate/ice cream/ filled day! -anaime_


	4. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: I wish. If you didn't get it. Here's another clue. I really, really wish._

*********

**Flying On Ice**

**By: anaime**

**Chapter 4: -(to peel away slowly)**

Rukia tested the flexibility on her ankle. A little uncomfortable when she twisted it, but not the intense pain it had produced before. Good. At least now she'll be able to start school without limping. Rukia laced up her skates. It would be nice to be back on the ice again.

She entered the rink and put pressure on her injured leg. It wasn't too bad. Rukia started with a slow pace and enjoyed the slight breeze the speed produced. She lifted up her bad leg into a front scale. Okay, now to the other leg. A little wobbly, but she caught her balance.

As Rukia was skating (very quick, the rushing wind helped her think), she was pondering on her skate partner, Kurosaki Ichigo. He wasn't such a bad ass, no matter how much he wanted others to think he was. Any guy who liked Shakespeare must be extremely sentimental inside. Rukia shuddered. Sentimental and Ichigo just didn't mix.

Speak of the devil, now Kurosaki was skating alongside her –how long had he been there?- and humming a familiar, yet irritating tune. "Hey, Princess. How are you doing?"

Rukia responded by sending him a glare and skated faster. Like she expected, he was still skating right beside her. Stubborn mule.

"So, midget…" That ended with Ichigo's face on the ice. Usually, it shut him up effectively, today, he was just talkative. "Your ankle okay now, midget?" Ichigo dodged a swing from Rukia's skates, "I thought so. Hmm, you know, you really are short. Girls who are nine are taller than you!"

Rukia stopped abruptly and a spray of ice hid her small figure for a fraction of a second. That was it. The last straw, not necessarily one that broke the camel's back, but it will break and tear apart and stomp on Kurosaki's ugly, stupid, infuriating face.

*****

Yoruichi had a good laugh when she came to coach Kurosaki, yet again, on the proper etiquette of throwing a lady. Said lady had all but wiped out the natural tan colour that was Kurosaki's face into a grotesque array of blue, purple, red, and green. It was all very amusing. Rukia was considering to be an artist after ice skating, it seems she'll be very successful. That, and a professional boxer.

*****

"How come you let her do all that to your face, Ichi-nii?" Karin asked interestingly over dinner, "you can beat up five burly guys at once during high school, but a girl can scratch up your face like that?"

Ichigo grunts. His face is still buried in Yuzu's homemade meatballs and spaghetti. Besides, this was a question that he didn't want to answer. Hell, he didn't even know Rukia had punched him until he landed on the ice.

"OH! Our Ichigo has become a gentleman! Keep it up, my son! In a year I'll be a grandfather!" Isshin jumped up and down.

Ichigo grunts again and launched his fist at his father's face, and while his father was clenching his bloody nose in misery, Yuzu had exited the kitchen. She immediately went to her father's side and offered him a napkin. Yuzu's kind eyes looked up to meet Ichigo's, "Ichi-nii, you should offer Rukia-neechan to come for supper sometimes! What does she like?"

_Rukia-neechan, _Ichigo thought angrily. Curse Urahara, and curse the friendship between Urahara and his dad, and curse Urahara's old woman's gossipy mouth. Oh yeah, and curse his dad. If things went his way, his family wouldn't know he was spending eight hours at the ice rink each day, and in a few months time, he would have what he originally wanted when he started doing skating again. And it would be done, over with, and he could finally stop skating and stop the memories. But no, Urahara just had to tell his father that he had taken up pair skating with a female –a potential wife for your son, was what he really said- and that they were getting along _very_ well. As if Ichigo didn't have enough on his plate already, dealing with Satan's pawn everyday.

"Ichi-nii!"

"Oh, yes, Yuzu?"

"I asked if Rukia-neechan would want to have dinner here!"

"Er…" Ichigo prayed for a lightening strike, "I don't think that she'll like something like that, Yuzu. She's very… um, particular about, er, her food…" Ichigo stopped abruptly. His sister's eyes were filling up with tears, "Oh, come on, Yuzu, don't cry! She's just a very strange," _sadistic, evil witch, _"teenager…" Yuzu's tears were now spilling, "Yuzu..." Brown puppy eyes filled with tears glanced up to meet Ichigo's own, panicked amber ones. "Okay, okay, fine! You can invite her! But I'm not going to be here, stuck with that bit-, er, I mean, I'll be busy then, so, um…"

Ichigo wasn't so sure that two thirds of his family heard him, because his father and Yuzu were hugging and giggling and jumping up and down.

Evil bitch was making his life hell.

*****

Rukia slept fitfully the night before school, she was filled with murky dreams of dark, luscious hair and cerulean eyes. Of memories of drifting, and flying, and laughing, and happiness. She was disturbed by the dark black background of her dreams, and the misery it brought.

Rukia woke the next morning and glanced sleepily at numbers blinking in green, showered, and started going down to the rink with her backpack. When she got to the rink after a long and refreshing walk, she found Ichigo there, training again. Deciding that she wasn't in a foul mood, she put on her skates and went to join him.

"Kurosaki!"

Ichigo landed a double axel and faced her, "Yeah, Kuchiki?"

"Throw me again."

Judging by the widening of his eyes, he probably hadn't expected Rukia to do anything expect lash out at him. Also, Rukia had violently denied trying anything to do with him and throwing her in the last four practices.

"Come on, you stupid strawberry, I want to get this right! And you are going to do it right," Rukia whose back was turned away from Ichigo's, turned her face and consequently the full force of her glare on him, "Or else. Got it?"

Ichigo only reacted in a defensive way by muttering bitch under his breath and skating over to her.

"Okay, skate alongside with me and build up speed," Ichigo obliged, "hmm, I suppose should start with a loop jump, since you're really bad at throwing… Okay, Kuro_saki_, now you're going to follow my instructions very, very carefully. Can you do that?" Rukia said in a tone of voice that could be often heard when reprimanding very small children.

"Just shut your trap and tell me what do to already!"

"Fine, fine, fool. You do know how this goes, right? I don't want you to catch me, but I want to land on my feet. When you're about to throw me, don't put your hands on my waist, but put it near my hips, that'll give you more power and leverage. Throw me high, but not upwards, okay?"

Ichigo was concentrating very hard on trying to locate Rukia's hips and not waist with his hands that he didn't answer.

"Moron! It's here!" Rukia took action once again, and grabbed Ichigo's hands and firmly put it on her hips. "Okay, you've seen this throw a thousand times on television and you've heard Yoruichi lecture about this throw maybe more than you've seen this on television. Pressure on the legs… A fast fling from your arms… On the count of three."

Rukia breathed in slowly as she had always done, and imagined a thin, flying red ribbon for some reason. The mental image calmed her and she might have sworn she felt the rushing blood in her body, charging her up. Rukia did not know why this felt so special, maybe it was the paciying moment and Ichigo was not being a complete ass. Or maybe it was his firm hands on her hips and steady air that was fluttering on the nape of her neck. It might have been the secluded atmosphere, but who knows? It still wasn't the first time Rukia was going to make a jump…

Just the first time with this arrogant ass.

_One_… Ichigo slowly lifted Rukia up, secure grip on her hips –Rukia didn't want to think ass, which will make her loose her concentration-.

_Two_… Ichigo skated faster, and the rushing air was a blur on Rukia's face… get ready now…

_Three!_

Ichigo made a throw, and the mannequins actually proved to be excellent practice, and since Rukia wasn't a wooden doll, she twisted through the air –how good it was to defy gravity once again, spinning, spinning, weightless- then reality crashed around her again. She had landed successfully.

Rukia didn't know why, but she was proud of herself. She, who had landed dozens of jumps and throws and won a dozen competitions, was proud of herself for landing a simple loop jump. A wide grin was on her face that she quickly disguised as a haughty countenance when she heard Ichigo skate over.

"Bravo!" Slight clapping, but that wasn't Ichigo's voice… But more like the voice of a certain man who likes to wear clogs and a green striped hat.

Urahara immerged from the shadows with a far too predatory smile on his face… It reminded Rukia of a creepy Cheshire cat.

"Since Rukia has now landed a throw jump, Yoruichi and I have decided to enter you in your first contest. It's a minor one, don't worry. Actually, it is the Annual Karakura Skate Competition. Consider it practice, you two, for the competition in Tokyo later. We'll be there to see how you do. It's in a month." Just like that, Urahara started speaking and Rukia's brain swerved to catch up "Yoruichi and I will get your free skate chorography ready, but we want your input in it. It'll likely be the one you will do at the all Japan championships, too. You can decide on the song, if you would like."

Rukia nodded. She's been at the annual Karakura skate competition when she was younger. It included everyone in the whole district. It was mostly great fun, and wasn't at all competitive. But still, this first competition… she wanted to win and prove her worth again.

Ichigo stole a glance at Rukia's face, as usual, it was unreadable and cold. Two weeks of her ass-bitch attitude had made life not worthy to live, but Ichigo could now see a glimpse of the emotions she hid behind her wide, liquid sapphire eyes. Right now, it was a passing glance of reminiscence, determination and just a hint of dread.

In conclusion, her emotions mirrored his exactly.

*****

This was harder than she thought it would be. Rukia let out a breath of frustration. Three days of private school, catching up with so called friends, internally glaring at sadistic teachers, and arguing with Ichigo at every single skate practice on the song they were going to use was total and absolute hell. It was her last year of high school, despite everything, Byakuya had insisted on her skipping a grade to further extend her lack of vertical endearment, and Rukia wanted to go into art next year. Maybe writing, -music industry? Hmm... She had all year to decide, after all- Hisana had loved both.

Rukia flipped to another page, and the CD that greeted her –even though this half week had been sent down personally to meet the devil- made her smile.

*****

Soft drifting music flowed through the freezing skate arena. Ichigo stopped skating. This music… it sounded so familiar. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Rukia coming towards him, skating in a very relaxed fashion.

"Somewhere over the rainbow…" Ichigo muttered under his breath. Rukia didn't look it, but she was the classic chick.

"Let's have this one," Rukia whispered when she was half a meter away, her soft breath misted over the cold air. The hopeful, serene music floated around Ichigo and Rukia, enveloping them in their own cocoon.

What compelled Ichigo to say it, he didn't know, maybe it was the dim memory of luring sleep and a woman's promising voice slowly humming this tune, but Ichigo whispered back: _"This one."_

_*****_

_Uh... really late update? If I told you I stepped into a puddle on a rainy day and I fell into the puddle into a 2D world with jumping faeries that imprisoned me and fed me nectar 24/7, could you excuse me for this absurdly late update and absurdly short chapter (I had hoped it was a bit longer, next chapter would probably include some... people)? And, possibly, just possibly, review? _

_Oh yeah, and happy Easter everyone! Anyone here go to those church meetings and have excellent food afterwards? I know I will. =)_

_-anaime... reviewreviewreview... yay!_


	5. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: Yep, I _totally_ own bleach, Yep, yep... (Sarcasm is one asset that I may never abandon.)_

*********

**Flying on Ice**

_**By: anaime**_

**Chapter four - Trigger**

It was almost noon when Shiba Kaien stepped out of the over-conditioned taxi along with a few friends. He smiled when he breathed in the familiar Karakura air; it had been far too long.

*****

Ichigo and Rukia were practicing their free skate performance when the doors of the skating rink burst open. Before Ichigo could discern the new silhouette that entered, Rukia let out a shriek and pushed Ichigo out of the way –he had promptly tripped on the ice, damn midget- and threw her arms around the person that entered in three seconds flat. Considering that she had the whole skate rink plus 10 meters on rubber to cross over, it was a feat.

Ichigo also went to where, now, a small crowd had gathered and all but buried Rukia's small figure from Ichigo's view. In Ichigo's mind, a slight mantra of 'whatthehell' kept on chanting. When he finally squeezed into the small group (there a guy with red hair and tattoos as eyebrows) he was there just in time to see Rukia squeal (was Kuchiki Rukia really capable of squealing?) happily.

The next moments happened in a blur.

Rukia had stood on tiptoes and with a happy grin and fluttering eyelids, kissed the guy that was currently holding her in his arms.

Ichigo blinked.

Ichigo blinked again.

This really must have been a horrible, horrible dream because foreign (and unwelcomed) feelings were rising up in his chest. Flames of fire and a twist of a double edged sword; a flick of stinging ice. He had never been so overwhelmed by emotions ever before, not since when his mother had died. Ichigo could feel his eyelids burning drily with anger. His chest tightened until Ichigo gasped for breath…

No way… Kurosaki Ichigo was not jealous.

It must have been something bad he ate for breakfast. His stomach –oh no, Ichigo could only feel an empty hole where his stomach, five minutes previously, had been. This was not normal. This was not an emotion Ichigo was used to feeling.

This could not be because Kuchiki Rukia was currently pecking a random guy.

Before Ichigo could try to deny to himself that he had no feelings at all for the damn midget, Rukia and the bastardbroke off their simple embrace. Too bad for Ichigo, the gnawing feelings of jealousy was still clawing at his whole being. He growled low, trying to ignore the urge to punch the handsome face of the bastard standing in front of him.

Before anything could get out of hand, Rukia was led away by what looked like her boyfriend_ -no!-_ toward the ice rink entrance. Thankfully, the group around them also swarmed to follow the couple, and Ichigo was left standing a few feet away, chest heaving up and down in an animalistic manner. His hands were also clenched so tightly that he swore his nails had dug into his skin.

In a matter of seconds to Ichigo, the crowd surrounding Rukia was already outside, and unfortunately –or fortunately… Ichigo had no idea- Rukia's small head had already disappeared. Ichigo leaned on the nearest surface of the glass wall around the ice rink and painfully clenched his left hand in the fabric of his shirt right above his heart. His heart was thudding a torturous rhythm. The beats were so intense, as if Ichigo had just run a marathon. He was panting harshly.

What was Rukia doing to him?

*****

As Ichigo pondered at the mysteries of his heart, body, and soul, Rukia was outside and having the same dread wash through her wn body not unlike that of what Ichigo had felt not a moment earlier. In front of her was a beautiful woman, long, wavy hair and porcelain features graced her face. She had a rack, too.

But that wasn't why Rukia was devastated.

It turned out the perfect woman standing in front of her is engaged to Kaien-dono. It really was no surprise. Rukiahad known that Kaien-dono had a girlfriend when he went on his skate tours, but it was still a stab in the heart. Granted, Rukia hadn't seen her former skate partner in a year, but the tender feelings she felt for him had only welted a little due to time. Her heart might not have been thudding as hard as Kurosaki Ichigo's, but it was still broken.

Rukia forced a smile at the graceful, elegant woman in front of her, and accepted an invitation to a party that evening only because Kaien-dono was looking at her with expectation. She also promised she would bring her new skate partner along. With a simple greeting to Renji, she departed back to the ice rink with full intentions of skating all her emotions away.

She was surprised to see that Ichigo was also a blur around the skate rink, and he was skating fast. It was the first time Rukia observed Ichigo alone, skating. He had a good physique. His skating couldn't be called graceful, but it was strong and steady. Calm, unwavering, like a dock by the bay that would always be there to there to support you. Somehow, looking at him made Rukia the pain in Rukia's heart lessen.

Without thinking, Rukia skated to Ichigo and he stopped when he saw her, and his warm amber depths was gazing at her differently... tenderly? It was some emotion that comforted Rukia. Again, without even contemplating, Rukia found her own limbs encircling what was Ichigo's waist, and she hugged him to her, silently crying. Rukia breathed in his scent. A musky scent that was all Ichigo. She needed a harbour right now. She needed comfort.

Ichigo stiffened underneath Rukia's touch. His brain was currently suffering electric shocks that were traveling all through his body. The touch was different from all the other contacts they had to make during skate practice. This contact was purely voluntary.

Ichigo didn't know why Rukia was clenching him desperately when she had only been ecstatic only a moment ago. And Ichigo, under a minute ago, was skating off his stress and trying to forget the feelings that Rukia had invoked inside his body. But it didn't seem all that important right now, with Rukia trembling against him.

Ichigo put his arms around her, and ignoring the slight pang in his heart, he whispered words that made no sense into Rukia's ears. Comforting words, heartfelt murmurs.

Rukia had long stopped trembling and crying, but she still nestled her nose against Ichigo's collarbone, not trying to grasp back heartbreaking emotions Kaien had unwittingly caused.

They both stood there for who knows how long, rocking in each other's arms… It was just a moment, a harmless moment (or they thought) that would later be remembered and denied.

The moment was ruined when Rukia promptly pushed Ichigo away and accused him of sexual harassment (she only realized later that Ichigo had not pushed her away) (she then later realized her heart was thudding, which didn't make any sense at all). The bewildered look on Ichigo's face –not an angry retort Rukia was expecting- made Rukia want to smash her foot into his heel.

Rukia did what both her conscious and subconscious urged her to do.

*****

Rukia woke up with a pounding headache. Damn. She should learn how to control her liquor. It couldn't be helped. All Matsumoto did last night at the party was shove drinks into her hands after each of her 'acquaintance' with another guy. Acquaintances were long enough for Rukia to finish her drink. She glanced blurrily at her alarm clock, it was almost six. Thankfully, it was a Sunday, and there's no practice on weekends except when a tournament com-!

_Oh shit!_

Cursing obstructively and haphazardly throwing on her clothes, Rukia made a grab for her skate equipment and almost stumbled. Her headache was killing her. Mentally berating herself for the amount of alcohol from last night, she shoved two Tylenol pills down her throat. If she rushed to the skate rink, she might just make it.

Parties in her early teens always ended like this. She would go partying with Kaien, come back ass drunk, and rush to the skate rink the following morning. It was a nostalgic routine. That is, until Kaien decided to quit his competing skate career and rounded up a bunch of people, many which were Rukia's close friends, to give skate performances across the world. They were a very popular skate tour group called the 'Shinigami'.

While musing, Rukia had arrived at the skate rink, she threw the doors open and was about to apologize when she noticed the skate rink was empty.

_Oh yeah…_

Last night, after she had dragged Ichigo to the party and introduced him to various people, Ikkaku and Renji had dragged Ichigo away to the bar. Rukia saw him later when he and Renji were deep into a drinking game. Ichigo was completely wasted. He'd be lucky if he even got home.

Yoruichi was there dancing with Soi-Fon half naked. They were pretty drunk, too. And Urahara was salivating.

Now clearly disgruntled, Rukia huffed loudly. Well, she was at the ice rink, and she had ice skates. She doubted that she'd sleep at home... So, the most logical reason to take was...

Her pulled out her iPhone and let calm soothing music play. They did better work at reliving the headache than Tylenol. Smiling softly, Rukia put on her skates and started skating to the music. She hadn't done this in a long time.

A looping figure eight, generous backward crossovers, some simple jumps and spins was enough to put Rukia's soul at ease. She skated for the first time in month just for her own enjoyment. She was enveloped in her own world, with eyes closed and loosely concentrating on the music and her in synch movements.

She never noticed the door to the ice rink open with Ichigo who had also woken up and realized he was late for the skate practice. She never noticed him stop in his frantic movements and look at her. Truly look at her.

She didn't know his scowling face had gone away at the sight of her spinning carelessly, and wasn't aware that his eyes had softened when she threw her arms out in front of her and skated with more flourish. When Rukia bend her head back and felt the wind drifting through her hair, she smiled. Ichigo also felt a slight tug on the corners of his lips.

Ichigo just stood there and stared while Rukia did the thing she loved most in the world.

*****

_Oh... I'm so pissed off right now. I put this on Doc, and it didn't save all the edits and AN I made, and spent another 15 minutes trying to re-edit, and I don't even know if I did a half-ass job like I usually do (not intentionally... it's rather unavoidable, really. =3). Damnnnnnn. _

_So.... Long time no see. It so_ wasn't _one and a half month. Right now, I just want to thank the people who have reviewed, this chapter would never have made it out if not for you guys! (Constant bouts of laziness, finals preparation, slight writer's block, lack of enthusiasm, etc. are some reasons...) Really, thanks so much. You guys are awesome. So, review on! May it be a highly exalted criticism or a sweetly coated 'I like', review on! I luvz you ppl for it! 3_


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